Awareness on organ donation by kidney donor from Pune

Awareness on organ donation by kidney donor from Pune

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 17, 2019: “After donating a kidney, I did not face any health complications for the past 18 years. I am leading a happy and content life,” declares 67-year-old Pramod Laxman Mahajan, who is on a 10,000-km solo motorbike ride across the country to create awareness on organ donation.

Mahajan was offered a warm welcome on his arrival to Mangaluru by the Indian Red Cross Society Dakshina Kannada unit and district Wenlock Hospital in the DC’s office.

He has been creating awareness on organ donation across the country on his bike. He had left Pune on October 21, 2018, as a part of the ride and has travelled to 17 states so far in the country.

Mahajan is associated with the Rebirth Foundation and he intends to organise awareness campaign on a motorbike in 18 States in 100 days covering 10,000-km.

The campaign will end in Pune on January 26.

Kidney donated

In his felicitation acceptance address at RAPCC Hall in the district Wenlock Hospital, Mahajan said, “I had donated a kidney to a soldier who had lost his kidney in 2000. The soldier was not my relative. There was a need to take confirmation from my mother, father, children and wife, before the donation. None of my family members agreed to sign the form.”

He said later, he convinced them to do so. The soldier was married and had no children. After the successful transplantation of the kidney, the soldier is living happily and is the father of two children. I am satisfied that I was able to help a man to live, Mahajan added.

Mahajan said, “Our body is valuable when we are alive. After death, we are either cremated or buried. If the organ is donated, we can give a lease of life to others.”

There is a need to create awareness on organ donation and we have to rise above the level of caste and religion when it comes to the donation of organs, he said.

Wenlock Hospital Superintendent Dr Rajeshwari Devi said, “There is a need to create awareness on organ donation. The awareness is important in the backdrop of the dismal donor and recipient ratio (1:10,000 donor) in India. The district Wenlock Hospital has entered into an agreement with eight medical colleges to process organ donation. A wing was opened for the purpose. There is a need for a team of expert doctors to take up the procedure.”